Business 2026-02-25 5 min By Cornelious Fazal

QR Codes on Product Packaging: How to Prepare for the 2027 UPC Replacement

Quick Answer

GS1's confirmed 2027 migration replaces UPC barcodes with 2D QR codes on all consumer packaging. Learn what it means for your product, how to add a QR code now,.

The 2027 Retail Package Change You Need to Know About

GS1 - the international standards organization that manages the UPC barcode system used globally since 1974 - has set a confirmed industry migration deadline of 2027 for all consumer-facing retail packaging to support 2D barcodes (primarily QR codes), in addition to or instead of the traditional 1D UPC barcode.

The initiative is called Sunrise 2027. It requires all point-of-sale retail systems - including grocery checkout lanes - to be capable of reading the new GS1 Digital Link QR format by 2027. Major US and UK grocery chains including Walmart, Target, Tesco, and Sainsbury's have confirmed compliance timelines with GS1.

If you sell a physical product through any retail channel, this change affects your label design and your brand's digital strategy.

What Is the GS1 Digital Link QR Format?

The GS1 Digital Link standard defines a specific URL structure that encodes a product's Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), lot number, expiry date, and serial number into a single QR code. When a retail scanner reads the code at the POS checkout, it extracts the GTIN for pricing. When a consumer scans the same code with their smartphone, the URL opens a product information webpage.

One code, two audiences, two experiences.

A GS1 Digital Link QR URL looks like this:

https://id.gs1.org/01/09506000134352/10/BX344/17/241231

Where:

  • 01/09506000134352 - the 14-digit GTIN (your product's global identifier)
  • 10/BX344 - the lot or batch number
  • 17/241231 - the expiry date in YYMMDD format

What Small Brands Should Do Right Now (Before 2027)

If you are a small brand without an assigned GTIN or without existing retail distribution, you have time to prepare before Sunrise 2027 requires it. Here is the practical action plan:

Step 1: Get a GS1 GTIN for Your Product

A GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) is the number encoded in your product's UPC barcode. If you do not already have one, obtain it through your regional GS1 member organization (GS1 US at gs1us.org, GS1 UK at gs1uk.org). Prices start at approximately $250 for a company prefix that supports 10 unique products.

Step 2: Add a Supplementary QR Code Now

While Sunrise 2027 compliance is still a future requirement, you can start adding a complementary QR code alongside your existing UPC barcode on your labels today. This code does not need to be a GS1 Digital Link URL - it can simply link to your product page on your website.

Benefits of adding a consumer QR code now:

  • Shoppers can scan to see full ingredient lists, allergen information, sustainability credentials, or how-to videos.
  • You collect web analytics on how many in-store shoppers are engaging with your digital content.
  • You establish the habit of maintaining a live product information page before it becomes mandatory.

Step 3: Generate Your Product Page QR Code

  1. Create or confirm a permanent URL for your product information page (e.g., yourbrand.com/products/product-name).
  2. Open our Free QR Code Generator, select URL, paste your product page link, and click Generate.
  3. Download the SVG file for your label design software.
  4. Position the code on the back panel of your label, away from the UPC barcode, at a minimum 0.8 x 0.8 inch print size.

What Content to Put on Your Product QR Landing Page

The value of a product QR code is entirely determined by what the page it links to contains. Best-in-class consumer product QR pages include:

  • Full ingredient or component list - beyond what fits on the physical label
  • Sourcing and sustainability information - supply chain transparency for environmentally conscious buyers
  • How-to-use video - particularly valuable for food, beauty, and tool products
  • Allergen and dietary detail - more detailed than label space permits
  • Batch-specific freshness information - linking to a database entry for the lot number on the package
  • Complementary product recommendations - a low-friction cross-sell opportunity at the moment of maximum product engagement

Read our technical comparison of QR codes vs traditional barcodes to understand the full data capacity difference that makes the 2027 migration worthwhile for the entire industry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Not yet as a regulatory requirement for most product categories. GS1 Sunrise 2027 sets the target for retail systems to be capable of reading QR codes, not a mandate that every product must immediately replace its UPC. However, adding a consumer-facing QR code now (linking to your product page) is a best practice for brand engagement and positions you ahead of the compliance deadline.

Yes. A consumer QR code that links to your own website requires no GS1 registration. GS1 registration is only required for the GS1 Digital Link format that encodes a GTIN for POS retail scanning. If your product is sold online only or in your own retail location where you control the POS system, you do not need GS1-format codes.

Not entirely, not immediately. GS1 Sunrise 2027 requires retail checkout systems to be capable of reading both 1D UPC and 2D QR codes. For several years after 2027, products will likely carry both a UPC barcode (for legacy scanner compatibility) and a GS1 Digital Link QR code (for consumer engagement and future POS scanning). A complete transition away from 1D UPC barcodes will take a decade or more.

A QR code on food packaging is just ink. The same food-safe ink and label stock requirements that apply to all text and graphical elements on your packaging apply equally to the QR code. There are no additional regulatory requirements for the QR code graphic itself as a standalone element. The destination URL of the code is subject to standard food labeling and marketing regulations.

The absolute minimum for consumer scanning is 0.8 x 0.8 inches (2 x 2 cm) at typical retail-shelf scanning distances of 8 to 12 inches. For very small packaging (individual spice sachets, cosmetic samples), a Micro QR code can physically fit in a smaller space, but Micro QR codes are not natively scannable by consumer smartphone cameras and require specialized apps.
Back to Knowledge Hub